The present invention relates in general to a carrier for a horse-drawn vehicle and pertains, more particularly, to a buggy carrier wherein the carrier is used for supporting the buggy from the tail gate of a horse trailer.
Horses, and in particular show horses are usually transported in a four-wheel trailer which accommodates two horses side-by-side and which may be drawn by an automobile or a truck. Along with the transportation of the horse or horses it is also necessary to transport a sulky or buggy. In the past the buggy has not been transported in a very efficient manner. Many times the buggy is transported on top of the motor vehicle or the owner of the horse finds it almost necessary to use a truck to pull the horse trailer carrying the buggy in the bed of the truck itself.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved means for carrying a buggy or sulky without the need of transporting the buggy on the motor vehicle itself. In accordance with the invention support braces are provided engageable with the tail gate of the horse trailer and having means for accommodating the buggy or sulky supported therefrom along the back end of the horse trailer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a buggy carrier in accordance with the preceding object and which is constructed to readily receive different types of buggies such as either two-wheel or four-wheel buggies.
To accomplish the foregoing and other objects of this invention the carrier is supported from the tail gate of a horse trailer and comprises a pair of support braces, each of which is somewhat elongated and each of which may be of substantially the same construction. Along the length of each brace there is provided a bracket means for supporting the brace in a generally vertical direction from the tail gate. In the preferred construction a hook-like bracket is used extending over the top of the tail gate for supporting each brace. In addition, preferably a U-shaped bracket is provided on the bottom of the tail gate into which a bottom edge of each support brace fits. Channel means extend from each brace and the channel means is preferably of a shape conforming to the arcuate shape of the wheels resting in the channel means. Each of these channel means is disposed on the support brace at approximately the same elevation therealong so as to support the buggy in an upright position. Strap means are provided for securing the buggy both to the support braces and also to the channel means.
In the basic embodiment of the present invention, one channel means is provided in association with each support brace. However, in an alternate embodiment, two channel means may be associated with each support brace, one disposed above the other at a spacing corresponding substantially to the spacing between the front and rear wheels of a four-wheel buggy such as the fine harness buggy. In still another embodiment, the channel means may be disposed at a bottom end of the brace rather than at the preferred top end of the brace. In still another embodiment the channel means may be adjustable along the length of the support brace.